Magnets on Oil Filters - Results

[john_bud]

Howdy all,

I did an experiment after reading about a fancy pants magnet encrusted "can cozy" for oil filters. The article extolled the virtues of magnets and magnetism for curing the sick, making the blind see and eliminating sub micron particles of ferrous metal from your oil that the filter can't trap.
I didn't have the money to spend on this, but I did know about a stack of obsolete hard disk drives. So, after a little time with the drill (didn't have the correct size Torx, but I had the universal removal tool!), I had a collection of pretty strong and very cheap magnets.

At the last oil change, I stuck 3 of them on the filter housing where no one could see. After a hundred hours of use and one winter, I changed the oil and cut the filter apart to see what miracles modern technology had wrought.

Well, obviously, it didn't end hunger or provide world peace, but it did leave an outline of the magnets in black grit. Hmmm, all that ridicule and I got some evidence that particles can get trapped by a magnet through the metal filter housing. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif Well, I don't know if it actually traps anything that could have hurt the engine or wouldn't have been stopped by the filter, but I guess I will slap the magnets back on. Can't hurt! And who knows, maybe world peace is about to break out... /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

John Bud

 

[thcri]

John,

Your picture is not viewable. Double check to see what size it was. You have to be under 150kb I believe to make it work?

murph

 

[john_bud]

Thanks for the heads up Murph,

It works for me (now!)

john_bud

 

[GSS]

Wow, those are some mighty fine particles. Hard to say if the filter woulda nabbed them, but doubtful that any damage could have been done to the engine by them.

Slap 'em back on though. Can't hurt! You might even be magnetizing the oil particles allowing them to stick to the moving engine parts better... or something. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

- Gerald

 

[john_bud]

I hope not /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Here is a pertinent link

web page

It's interesting, but...



John_bud

 

[dourobob]

Interesting stuff - I bought a package of Rare Earth Magnets from Lee Valley Tools a few years ago just becuase I thought there would be a use for them - this might be the best application so far.

Bob

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Magnets cured my tractors arthritis /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Actually I have had magnetic drain plugs in 2 vehicles over the years. I would find fuzz on them and clean it off when changing the oil. Both engines lasted a really long time. One was a 1971 VW beetle, sold at 176,000 miles ( no internal work ) and ran great. The other was a Plymouth slant six, 245,000 miles , ran good, never had top or bottem off. Changed everything on outside of engine a time or two though.

 

[deepsnow]

Placed couple rare earth mag on every filter housing. Figured it probably can't hurt. Purchased them at the same place Bob did (Lee Valley). Worse case they are an inexpensive placebo for BabeBlue(NH TC25D).

 

[Caretaker]

I got some of those Lee Valley Rare earth magnets too - they're very useful for temporary holding plastic sheeting, etc...

I took some of the smaller ones, and added them to a small depression drilled in all of the drain plugs. I remember that you used to find a magnet in the bottom of the oil pan on engines, back when longevity and reliability were factors.

It seems to me that you could easily find a small shaving or two in a new engine - pretty easy for one to sneak in there. Magnets in the drain plugs are cheap and easy insurance to catch and collect any demons that might have snuck in uninvited!!!